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Back once more, we’ve got another batch of this week’s best gaming deals to take a look at – from digital PC games to Nintendo 2DS consoles.

As usual, we’ve got deals that’ll work in the UK, deals that’ll work in the US and some deals that will work in both the UK and US, as well as presumably many other places. Let’s get started.

Giveaway

Giveaway time once more, friends. This time around, to celebrate not only the release of Destiny 2’s Forsaken DLC but GamesPlanet’s associated discounts on the game, the site has joined forces with Jelly Deals once more to offer up three copies of the Destiny 2 Legendary Collection on PC to a trio of lucky readers. If you’d like to be in with a chance of winning, you can enter via the link below.

If you don’t fancy your chances, GamesPlanet is offering a series of discounts using the codes found in that handy image above.

Enter to win one of three copies Destiny 2 Forsaken from GamesPlanet

UK & US Deals

In case you missed the announcement earlier this week – Microsoft is releasing a new Elite Controller in October! Well, truthfully, Microsoft is releasing the same Elite Controller as they did before, but now it’s in ‘Robot White’ to match with the fancy white Xbox One S and X models. It can be pre-ordered directly from Microsoft now if you like.

Those of you who have a penchant for tabletop games but feel the constraints of the real world holding you down a little bit too much can check out Humble’s latest bundle. The Digital Tabletop Bundle offers, well, a series of digital tabletop games for a price of your choosing.

Pay what you want for the Digital Tabletop Bundle from Humble

Green Man Gaming’s offer of fifty games for £50 / $50 / €50 is still running this week and you’ll also be benefitting UK-based charity GamesAid if you pick it up. Titles include Metal Gear Solid 5, This Was of Mine, Human Fall Flat, Rage, The Little Acre, Arkham Asylum, and more.

50 Games for £50 / $50 / €50 Bundle from Green Man Gaming

You’ve got mere days left in order to pick up the current batch of Humble Monthly games with a subscription. This time around, you can spend £10 / $12 and get instant access to Sniper Elite 4, Tales of Berseria and Staxel. Then, once the month finishes up, you’ll get a stack of other games, too. Alternatively, you can trade the three aforementioned games for a copy of Rise of the Tomb Raider.

Sniper Elite 4, Tales of Berseria and Staxel OR Rise of the Tomb Raider for £10 / $12 from Humble Monthly

UK Deals

LaptopsDirect is offering £100 off this 28-inch 4K gaming monitor from Electriq, equipped with FreeSync and HDR. All of that will cost you £199.97 for a limited time, if you feel like adding to or replacing a monitor in your current setup.

After some rocky stock levels post-launch, Octopath Traveller on Nintendo Switch is back in stock and currently, you can pick the game up for just under £44 from Base, with some quick delivery, too.

Octopath Traveller on Nintendo Switch for £43.85 from Base

If you’re not one to be swept up in those fancy RTX cards that are on the horizon, you can grab a GTX 1060 3GB card at a nice discount right now, thanks to Ebuyer’s offer of a Gigabyte model for £189.99.

Gigabyte GTX Geforce 1060 3GB graphics card for £189.99 from Ebuyer

Logitech’s Harmony universal remote series is one of the most well regarded bits of home theatre style tech. Right now, directly from Logitech itself, you can pick up the Harmony 665 model for £46.

Logitech Harmony 665 Universal Remote for £46 from Logitech

The Crew 2 has been out for precious few months but if you slept on a purchase until now and happen to favour the Xbox One for your gaming feeds, you can grab a copy right now from Go2Games for a mere £23.

The Crew 2 on Xbox One for £22.99 from Go2Games

US Deals

Cult classic Dragon’s Crown got itself a 4K-supporting PS4 version in the form of Dragon’s Crown Pro earlier this year and now, you can pick up a copy of that very game for under $30. Be sure to hit the ‘use voucher’ button before you checkout.

Dragon’s Crown Pro on PS4 for $29.72 (using voucher) from Amazon US

Cartoony multiplayer pirate adventure thingy Sea of Thieves is currently discounted in its Xbox One boxed version at Amazon, where a copy of the game will cost you just shy of $37 for the time being.

Sea of Thieves on Xbox One for $36.94 from Amazon US

Be you a Nintendo Switch owner with a need to install more games on your system or just someone who values having portable storage in a tiny card as a way to feel like we’ve truly achieved some form of a cyberpunk future, you’re in luck. Amazon is offering 128GB and 200GB Sandisk cards at an extra discount this week.

Hands up if you were aware Nintendo is still making new models of the New Nintendo 2DS XL console? If you fancied yourself a 2DS XL, you can get this very pretty Purple & Silver edition along with a digital copy of Mario Kart 7 for $149.99. It’s up to pre-order now at Amazon, releasing at the end of September.

New Nintendo 2DS XL in Purple & Silver with Mario Kart 7 for $149.99 from Amazon US

Horizon Zero Dawn’s Complete Edition is, as you may have figured from the title, the most complete version of the game you can buy – coming packed with the Frozen Wilds DLC and a bunch of extra digital goodies – and right now, it’s down to $20 via Amazon.

Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition on PS4 for $19.99 from Amazon US

With that, we’re done for another week. Keep in mind that deals, prices and availability can change at the drop of a hat, so apologies if you miss out on something you wanted. I’ll be over at Jelly Deals, scouring the world wide web for more deals. Feel free to visit, or follow us on Twitter and give us a like on Facebook.

Did you know that Jelly Deals has a newsletter? It lets us bring the best deals directly to you each day. Subscribe here, if that seems like your kind of thing.

Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. For more information, go here.

The Best Monitors Of IFA 2018

Whether you’re a consumer looking to upgrade to a high-resolution display or a gamer seeking out the fastest refresh rates, IFA 2018 brought a number of eye-pleasing options. Many of the affordable monitors start with FHD resolution panels, but if you’re looking to step up your desk game, there are plenty of attractive choices that ship with higher resolutions, wider screens, and faster refresh rates.

All the monitors we saw checked off many of the boxes that consumers should look for when choosing to upgrade, including bright screens, slim bezels, and attractive styling. Regardless of the type, these are the five monitors from IFA 2018 that really caught our eye.

Dell Ultrathin S2718DC

Who’s it for: Consumers who demand premium styling

How much and when can you buy it: Starting at $550 on September 20

If you don’t need an ultra high definition (UHD) panel, Dell’s Ultrathin S2718DC is one of the best-looking monitors to hit the market. As a technologically functional “objet d’art,” the Ultrathin S271DC measures less than a quarter-inch thick and comes with a near bezel-freedesign, 60Hz refresh rate, and a maximum resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 pixels. With 600 nits of peak brightness and HDR 600 certification, the Ultrathin is great for both work and entertainment.

If you’re running low on desk space, you can use the VESA-compatible mount to hang the monitor on a wall. To complement the design, the single USB-C connector helps to minimize unsightly wires snaking around your workspace, allowing you to power the display and connect to a compatible PC or laptop with one cable. Older computers can connect via the HDMI 2.0, and there’s a USB hub and a 3.5mm headphone jack on board.

LG UltraGear 34GK950G, 34GK950F

Who’s it for: Gamers who don’t want multiple monitors for an immersive experience

How much and when can you buy it: TBA

Even though it may be nice to connect multiple displays together, you can opt for a simpler single monitor setup and still get an immersive gaming experience with an ultrawide panel. LG’s pair of monitors support either Nvidia’s G-Sync technology (34GK950G) or AMD’s FreeSync tech (34GK950F) on a 34-inch panel. The pair comes with a 21:9 aspect ratio, and because it’s so wide, the display has a 1,900R curvature to help make it easier for your peripheral vision.

The ultrawide QHD resolution supports 3,440 x 1,440 pixels, and the panel supports 98 percent of the wide color gamut space. Refresh rates vary, with a 100Hz standard rate on the Nvidia-compatible panel that goes up to 120Hz when overclocked to a native 144Hz rate on the AMD-optimized screen. The panel comes with 400 nits of brightness and supports 5ms response time for gaming. In addition to faster refresh rates, the FreeSync panel also comes with HDR 400 certification and 1ms Motion Blur Reduction (MBR), whereas the G-Sync one doesn’t. Both panels can be mounted on a wall to save space, but gamers opting for the G-Sync variant will likely want to show off the backside of the display, as that version supports LG’s Sphere Lighting System for illumination.

Acer Predator XB273K and Nitro XV273K

Who’s it for: GeForce gamers not willing to sacrifice on specs

How much and when can you buy it: $1,299 (Predator), $899 (Nitro) in the fourth quarter

Though it will cost you a pretty penny, Acer’s Predator monitor delivers on the company’s gaming creds. Launched just in time for Nvidia’s newest GeForce RTX 2080 GPU, the Predator XB273K was designed for GeForce gamers. The panel takes advantage of the chipmaker’s G-Sync technology to prevent screen tearing. Gamers who play fast action games will love the 27-inch 4K UHD panel with a fast 144Hz refresh rate. HDR 400 certification helps you spot enemies or pick out details in shadows in games, and the display’s calibrated panel supports 90 percent of the wide color gamut. The Predator comes with an ErgoStand and a hood to help keep gamers focused, but if you’ve got a gaming chair — like Acer’s Predator Thronos chair — you can opt to mount the display with the VESA-compatible mount to create an immersive multi-monitor setup that will be the envy of your gaming pals.

Just because the Predator monitor was built to support Nvidia gamers doesn’t mean that Acer is turning its back on fans of AMD. The flagship Nitro XV272K matches the Predator XB273K spec-for-spec. The main difference between the Nitro XV272K and the Predator-branded display is that the Nitro supports AMD’s FreeSync technology to prevent screen tearing. The Nitro XV272K also supports a fast 1ms moving picture response time (MPRT) for fast action games, and it features six-axis color adjustments, so gamers can tune the color, hue, and saturation on the display. The built-in black boost option allows gamers to select from 11 levels of black to gain a visual advantage when trying to spot enemies in darker scenes.

Samsung CJ79

Who’s it for: Tech-forward multitaskers wanting a premium experience

How much and when can you buy it: TBA

Stylish and chic, the Samsung CJ79 is an ultrawide monitor that doesn’t skimp on technology. Like LG’s UltraGear, Samsung opted to go with a curved 34-inch ultrawide panel on the CJ79. The CJ79 has a 1,500R curvature and ultrawide QHD resolution. Though Samsung is mainly targeting the CJ79 at creatives and professionals with this stylish monitor, gamers can also take advantage of the CJ79’s FreeSync support. The quantum dot LED (QLED) screen tech supports 125 percent of the sRGB space and has a 3,000:1 contrast ratio.

As the first monitor on the market to take advantage of Thunderbolt 3, you can use a single Thunderbolt cable for power, data, and video. Compared to USB-C, Thunderbolt 3 offers faster data throughput and outputs more power. Older computers can rely on HDMI or DisplayPort, and the CJ79 also has a USB hub with three USB-C and two USB 3.0 ports to easily connect peripherals and accessories. Picture-in-picture support coupled with the ultrawide aspect ratio will be appreciated by multitaskers hoping to keep multiple windows open. If 34 inches is too small, Samsung also has a larger 43-inch CJ79 model with a 3,840 x 1,200 resolution and 32:10 aspect ratio. That monitor comes with an integrated KVM switch, allowing you to connect two computers to it.

Video streaming in Canada has emerged rapidly as an alternative to linear TV for consumers. The medium is now a fixed part of the entertainment menu, judging by data quantifying consumer time spent with video and growing OTT service revenues. To grab a growing share of the market, domestic players are introducing new OTT services to compete with Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and Sling TV.

As US-based streaming services gain popularity in Canadian homes, there is an ongoing public debate about how video streaming content should be regulated. Services like Netflix are not subject to taxation by the government of Canada—a point of contention for the domestic media oligopoly, which includes Rogers, Bell, Shaw and Videotron. The local players say they pay an unfair share to prop up the entertainment industry with “Made in Canada” productions, putting them at a competitive disadvantage against foreign entrants.

On June 1, The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) released a policy report titled, “Harnessing Change: The Future of Programming Distribution in Canada,” which highlighted the current challenging landscape. Video streaming is a focal point of the report, since it occupies a hefty part of consumer media time and relates to Canadian content (aka “CanCon,” the federal cultural policy that requires funding and content quotas). In fact, it’s a central issue: “Online video services do not have any regulatory obligations, making it difficult to determine what they contribute to Canadian content creation.”

The so-called “Netflix Tax” has become a catch-all term for the gripe that US-based digital services don’t contribute to local production via taxation. Some estimates show Netflix alone could avoid more than CA$500 million in Canadian sales taxes over the five-year period ending in 2020.

In September 2017, the government of Canada struck a deal with Netflix that committed the company to invest CA$500 million in Canadian productions over five years. The deal was the centerpiece of a new cultural policy revealed by Heritage Minister Melanie Joly, one that stopped short of taxing foreign digital services operating in Canada. (In July, Joly was moved to a Tourism Cabinet position and Pablo Rodriguez was named Heritage Minister.)

That policy direction is reflective of prevailing consumer opinion. Just over half of respondents to a May 2018 Research Co. poll disagreed with a new tax on digital streaming services, compared to 36% who agreed. It’s up for debate how much a 5% to 15% sales tax (based on Canada’s 5% Goods and Services Tax and variable provincial levies) would impact subscription levels of a service that is inexpensive to begin with, especially relative to traditional cable pricing.

A review of Canada’s Broadcasting and Telecommunications Acts legislation is underway, and recommendations for changes will be made in January 2020. There is growing tension between one side, which wants to fix the old model of broadcast regulation to accommodate new digital services, and the other, which suggests the old model should be scrapped in favor of a completely new regulatory regime. The new one would potentially be built to manage the vagaries of internet-based services across borders.

“It’s important that the Broadcasting Act allow for fluidity, enabling the broadcast industry to become more agile and remain competitive when new players come into the game,” said Kathy Gardner, vice president of policy for ThinkTV, which represents the industry. “From a broadcaster’s perspective, there is a lot of investment required in terms of Canadian content. The OTT players that come into the market are not subject to those same guidelines and those same commitments.”

Voting opens today in the only awards program in our industry where the winners are selected by you, the end users.

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Learn more about the companies mentioned in this article in the Sourcebook:

The nominations are in—more than 260 of them—and voting is now open in the 2018 Streaming Media Readers’ Choice Awards. It’s the only awards program in which the winners are decided by the people who matter most—you, the end users.

This year we’re featuring 30 categories, as detailed below, including categories for end-to-end workflow, QoE/QoS, PTZ camera, video player, and webcasting solutions. All readers of Streaming Media are eligible to vote. You must enter a valid email address when you vote; you will receive a confirmation email after you submit your ballot. You must click the link in that confirmation email for your vote to count. Votes by company employees for their company’s products will be discounted; we don’t want this contest to be decided based on the number of employees a company has.

Voting opens today, and run until September 21. In a change from previous years, companies will not be able to solicit their employees to vote for their nominees; we don’t want this contest to be decided based on the number of employees a company has. In October we’ll announce the finalists—the top three vote-getters in each category.

Don’t see a product or service listed as a nominee? We can still add late nominees; email us at readerschoice@streamingmedia.com.

CLICK HERE TO VOTE

The winners will be announced November 14 at Streaming Media West, which once again is being held at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort and Spa in Huntington Beach, California. This year’s awards are sponsored by Teradek and Harmonic, Magewell, and Epiphan Video. Winners will be featured in an article in Streaming Media magazine and StreamingMedia.com, as well as our Streaming Media Xtra newsletter.

If you’d like to see what companies took home the Streaming Media Readers’ Choice Award in 2017, look to our list of winners. Last year we received more than 37,000 votes from nearly 4,000 voters for 289 nominees.

Just for voting, you’ll be eligible to win a Magewell USB Capture HDMI, an Epiphan Webcaster X2, or a GoPro HERO6 Black.

We can’t do this without you, so please vote soon. The categories below are listed in alphabetical order.

Analytics/Quality of Experience Platform

Analytics/Quality of Service Platform

We have two analytics categories this year. Quality of Experience is for platforms that monitor and offer analytics that can improve the end user’s quality of experience, while the Quality of Service category targets the quality of network performance.

Capture Hardware

Today’s capture hardware is more robust and powerful than ever before. Which one offers the most bang for the buck?

Cellular Bonding Solution

Presenting a useful way to broadcast from the field, cellular bonding solutions have taken off for live or on-demand coverage.

Closed Captioning Solution

Closed captioning isn’t just a good idea; in many cases, it’s the law. Making it simple and accurate is crucial.

Cloud Encoding/Transcoding Service

Who’s got the best SaaS for encoding and transcoding video, in terms of quality, turnaround time, and service?

Content Delivery Network

This category covers both telco and traditional content delivery networks.

DRM/Access Control Service Provider

It’s more important than ever for premium content owners to protect their content on every possible device, necessitating a multi-DRM approach. Which DRM service provider offers the best experience for the content owner and the consumer?

Education Video Platform

Educational institutions have unique requirements and face distinct challenges when it comes to publishing video. Which video platform works best for schools and universities?

Encoding Hardware (Live)

This category is for hardware encoders specifically designed for live encoding.

Encoding Software

We’re combining the desktop and enterprise-class encoding categories this year, as we search for the best overall on-prem encoding software.

End-to-End Workflow Solution

When a content owner, whether entertainment or enterprise, is looking for a soup-to-nuts video workflow solution that includes professional services and consulting, these are the service providers they turn to.

Enterprise Video Platform

When large organizations look to create their own internal YouTube or other company-wide video solution, this is the platform they should look to first.

Field Recorders/Monitors

Field recorders, camera-attached or otherwise, play a critical role in video production when you need to archive a high-quality feed for editing and on-demand delivery. And whether you’re shooting in bright, outdoor sunlight or trying to match images from different cameras, portable HD or 4K field monitors can be critical for reliably delivering quality shots. Which combination field recorder/monitor does the job best?

Live Streaming Platform

Which live streaming platform leads the way in terms of features, functionality, and usability?

Media & Entertainment Video Platform

What’s the best platform for delivering short- and long-form content to viewers? Note that we have a separate category for OTT platform.

Media Server

Recognizing the best hardware or software solution for delivering audio and video files to listeners and viewers, regardless of delivery protocol.

Mobile Device (Phone or Tablet) Production Solution

Today’s mobile phones and tablets are capable of serving as professional-level video production and communications devices–with the right software and (sometimes) accessories, that is. Which mobile device solutions are on the cutting edge?

OTT Platform for MSO and MVPD

As MSOs and MVPDs deliver more over-the-top content, they’re looking to more robust and functional solutions than traditional media and entertainment video platforms can offer.

Portable Multicam Streaming Solution (Less than $1,500)

Portable Multicam Streaming Solution (More than $1,500)

These portable streaming solutions do it all—switch, mix, title/overlay, and stream—from virtually anywhere; this year, we’ve broken the category in two based on price. (Note that these categories used to focus on “appliances;” now they cover both hardware and software solutions.)

PTZ or Network-Controlled Camera

More and more video productions are using PTZ and network-controlled cameras in their multi-camera shoots. Which one leads the pack?

Small/Medium Business Video Platform

When a business needs a video platform with functionality beyond YouTube, but isn’t looking for a full enterprise or OTT solution, these are the platforms they turn to.

Stream Stitching/Server-Side Ad Insertion Solution

Want to provide seamless ad delivery on the mobile web and stop ad blockers? These are the solutions that help you do it.

When it comes to winning and maintaining viewers. a quality video player is every bit as important as quality content. These are the companies that help content owners make sure they’re giving their viewers a great viewing experience.

Video Switcher/Mixer

Viewers demand broadcast quality in live online video events, and these units make it possible, handling switching, mixing, overlaying, and keying (but not streaming).

Webcasting/Presentation Solution (On-Prem)

These in-house solutions capture video and audio, combine it with slides and images, and deliver it to online viewers in an interactive environment with Q&A, surveys, and more.

Webcasting/Presentation Solution (Cloud)

Webcasting and presentations are a big area this year, so we’ve broken the category into local and cloud solutions.

Wireless Video Transmitters

Today’s compact wireless transmitters deliver live HD video from wherever you are to wherever your audience is via popular streaming platforms. Which transmitter rises above the rest?

Today, you’ll likely notice a sudden slight or significant change to your 1-100 ENERGY STAR score. But don’t panic – scores will change across the board. That’s because the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has updated its performance metrics based on the most recent data available. (Photo from ENERGY STAR)

Why the ENERGY STAR Score Change?

On average, in Portfolio Manager, the scores – which are used to benchmark buildings’ energy performance – will drop. The change depends on a building’s energy use, fuel mix, business activity, property type and other factors. But the prominent shift is partly due to the fact that previous scores were based on data from 2003.

This data derives from the Department of Energy’s Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey, conducted every four years. The most recent data made available in 2016, which the EPA is now using for scores, is based on a 2012 survey.

“In between those two time periods, the Department of Energy had to take back its [2007] survey,” says Leslie Cook, national program manager with ENERGY STAR Commercial Buildings at the EPA. “There were some issues with methodology. There’s been a bigger gap in our updates than we’ve previously experienced. That’s partly why they’re seeing a more pronounced change in the scores. It’s been quite a while since we’ve been able to update it.”

The average decrease in scores signifies an overall improvement in the energy performance of U.S. buildings. “Since our score is a comparison to the market, and the market’s more efficient, it’s leading to a shift,” Cook says.

In the graph below, average score changes are broken down by building type. Schools, offices and retail will experience the largest drop in score, while hotels will experience on average a slight increase. “People are going to experience something in that range, but it’s not exactly that for every building,” Cook says. (Photo from ENERGY STAR)

The EPA and ENERGY STAR recommended downloading and saving your current score before the change takes effect in case it’s needed for any kind of third-party certification, such as LEED.

ENERGY STAR will not be able to provide before-and-after reports in Portfolio Manager now that the change has occured.

Track Sustainable Development with Energy Master Plan

“Perhaps they’re taking part in upgrade projects and they want to document their current scores,” Cook says. “We update the metrics. So all periods of time that you have in your account – if the benchmark is, say, 2010 – all of those metrics and scores are going to be updated going back in time.”

What to Do After the Change

To help guide you through the update, ENERGY STAR recorded training webinars, all available online to watch at any time. You can also register now for free upcoming webinars on Wednesday, Aug. 29, and Wednesday, Sept. 5. Both will take place at 1 p.m. Eastern Time.

“We want to help people understand what changed and why and how it’s a good thing,” Cook says. “It’s a better, more accurate picture of how your buildings are performing to others. We’re really hoping folks understand that our goal is to give you the best, most accurate comparison that we can provide.”

ENERGY STAR plans to switch gears not only to help you understand the changed scores – but to help you raise them. “We don’t want to just update the metrics and leave folks hanging,” Cook adds. A new slate of materials will be released to help you find savings and identify low-hanging fruit.

3 Money-Saving Energy Products for 2018

“The idea is that it will help identify those buildings to revisit that maybe you thought were top performers but actually, now that we’ve updated the comparisons, there’s an understanding that there are opportunities [for adjustments].”

One new piece of material to help find savings will be what ENERGY STAR is calling “treasure hunts,” an audit process that can be done in a day. “We think that people will start to take another look at those buildings and hopefully realize that there are actually a lot more savings to be found,” Cook says.

Sustainability at the Forefront

In the 15 years since the ENERGY STAR performance metrics have been updated, the focus on sustainability has grown. Cook says that to be a Class-A office building in an urban setting, for example, it’s imperative to show some sort of commitment to sustainability.

“There’s been a growing focus on efficiency overall, both for energy cost savings and to reduce carbon footprint, compared to what was going on back in 2003,” she adds. “There’s still a lot of work to be done, but I think just in general it’s a different world, in terms of who’s paying attention to their energy bills.”

ENERGY STAR encourages users to keep up-to-date on its website to find announcements about webinars and cost-saving materials and to ask questions.

Seriously, why on Earth would you spend around $30 on a single Wi-Fi smart plug from a big-name brand when you can spend the same amount of money on the Conico Smart Surge Protector? It lets you control things you plug into the wall with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, just like all the other smart plugs out there. But with this Conico model, you can control four different devices instead of just one! That’s right, it has four three-prong power outlets and each one can be controlled individually using Alexa or Google Assistant, whichever you prefer. There are also 4 powered USB ports on there so you can charge your smartphone, tablet, eBook reader, or any other gadgets you might have.

Here’s everything else you need to know from the product page:

Compatible with Alexa: This Wi-Fi power strip can sync with the Alexa, can be voice control by echo, echo dot, and echo show,after connecting the Jinvoo Smart app successfully. You can voice control 4 smart AC plugs individually on Jinvoo app with Amazon Echo accessories.

Remote Wireless Control: Use the full control mode or control 4 smart sockets individually with your smart phone through Wi-Fi/3G/4G network no matter where you are, but the 4 USB port can only be controlled together.

Surge Protection: This power strip surge protector supports surge protection, effective absorption of the sudden high voltage, protect the connection equipment from damage.

Schedule on/off: Equipped with 4 smart plugs and 4 USB charging ports with 5ft long power cord, best idea for home office and professional workstations. With the Jinvoo App, you can create timer to schedule control this wireless multi outlets power bar. It will never be a dark home when you go home.

Easy to Operate: Just connect this usb power strip with your wall outlet, download the Jinvoo Smart app, add it into your account via 2.4G wifi network. When you turn it on/off on app, you would find that this smart extension cord is quick response, not time delay. Conico Smart Power Strip has been approved for safety and quality assurance (ETL and FCC certificate).

Albany, NY — (SBWIRE) — 07/09/2018 — Strong growth of electricity and signal testing instruments manufacturing market is expected to be witnessed against the back drop of growing construction and infrastructure activities and significant rise in the manufacturing industry, particularly in the emerging economies of the Asia Pacific. In addition to this, easy access to electricity in various developed and developing countries along with rising renewable energy projects are expected to emboss a positive impact on the growth of the electricity and signal testing instruments manufacturing market during the period of forecast. Several insights pertaining to demand of electricity and signal testing instruments manufacturing have been included in a new research report – “Electricity and Signal Testing Instruments Manufacturing Market: Global Forecasts to 2022” – included in the vast research repository of Market Research Hub (MRH).

The comprehensive research report on electricity and signal testing instruments manufacturing market covers projections for a period of five years, from 2017 till 2022. The research report on the market for electricity and signal testing instruments manufacturing offers an unbiased intelligence on several market facets, stressing major trends in the market, potential opportunities paving significant growth avenues and key drivers pushing the growth of the electricity and signal testing instruments manufacturing market. In addition, the report includes restraints and challenges hampering the growth of the electricity and signal testing instruments manufacturing market. That said, the electricity and signal testing instruments manufacturing market report provides a holistic view of the entire market including analysis of all market segments across key countries such as United States, Spain, Russia, Brazil, China, South Africa, United Kingdom, Germany, France, India and Japan.

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Browse Full Report with TOC- https://www.marketresearchhub.com/report/electricity-and-signal-testing-instruments-manufacturing-global-markets-to-2022-report.html

The research report on electricity and signal testing instruments manufacturing market includes analysis on key participants involved in the production of electricity and signal testing instruments manufacturing. Various facts associated with the operational activities of these key players have been included in the competitive assessment section of the report. Details including but not limited to SWOT analysis, company overview, product portfolio, key product development and innovations, new strategies, expansion plans, market shares, volume sales and other financials of major companies have been covered in this section. Key players covered in this report include, Anritsu Corp, Advantest Corp, Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co KG, Fortive Corp and Teradyne Inc., to name a few.

The report on electricity and signal testing instruments manufacturing market has been studied using a comprehensive research methodology that covers numerous funnels of verification and validation of data using extensive primary and secondary research. Employing this research methodology ensures a higher accuracy of data gathered across each and every market segment and region making the report a comprehensive intelligence platform with decisive insights.

Enquire about this Report- https://www.marketresearchhub.com/enquiry.php?type=enquiry&repid=1830484

About Market Research HubMarket Research Hub (MRH) is a next-generation reseller of research reports and analysis. MRH’s expansive collection of market research reports has been carefully curated to help key personnel and decision makers across industry verticals to clearly visualize their operating environment and take strategic steps.

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Power strips can be found in almost every home. These are components that let you plug in two or more electrical or electronic peripherals by using just one primary port. These are also known as surge protectors in some implementations. These are essential for every home as they can cut down the amount of ports and plugs used in your home.

Did you know that there are smart power strips available in the marketplace? Well, these are like regular power strips but with Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing you to control their functionality with your smartphone or through a voice assistant like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. These add more utility to your home, especially if you’re into home automation and are already invested in Smart Home products.

So let’s have a look at some of the best smart power strips that are available for purchase.

5 Best Smart Power Strips Amtake

From the outside, this looks like just another ordinary power strip. But it comes with Wi-Fi on board, allowing you to turn it on or off using just your smartphone or voice assistant. This particular device works in tandem with the Tuya Smart app that can be downloaded from the Play Store. The power strip requires a secure 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi connection to work, making it compatible with most home Wi-Fi routers out there.

Thanks to the app, you can schedule the on/off timer to work as per your convenience. Another handy feature here is the ability to control it from practically anywhere, so you could be away from home and still be able to control it using your smartphone or tablet. It also comes with four full sized USB ports to let you charge your smartphone or other peripherals.

What’s even better is the fact that it only costs $19.99 on Amazon right now. If you’re a fan of automated home peripherals, a smart power strip like this is the first thing to buy right now.

Maxcio Smart Power Strip

This particular power strip is compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant as well as IFTTT. The dedicated Smart Life application allows you to control key aspects of the power strip, making it ideal for use when you’re away from home. Given that it supports a number of automated services, you can even use the features of this smart power strip with your voice. It comes with a total of four outlets and users can control each outlet individually or together.

If you have appliances plugged into this smart power strip, the timer function can help you cut down on your utility bills significantly. Let’s say you have a washing machine plugged in and forgot to turn it off. Enabling the timer function will make sure the appliance is turned off, saving plenty of energy in the process. This power strip doesn’t require a smart hub appliance to work. All you need is the aforementioned Smart Life app from the Play Store and you’re good to go. There are three USB ports here, allowing you to charge your phone or tablet.

The power strip is made using UL-94-V0 materials, which makes it fireproof. This handy smart power strip is priced at $32.99 on Amazon right now.

Iron-m Smart Power Strip

This is pretty similar to the offerings we’ve talked about above, although it comes with a more refined design. Also, there are four full sized USB ports here, letting you charge up your phone, tablet or even smartwatch. Each USB port has a maximum power output of 12W, which is plenty for any device to charge.

As for the outlets, there are a total of four, which can all be controlled over an internet connection (2.4 GHz Wi-Fi) and your smartphone/tablet. Although the four outlets can be controlled individually, the USB ports can be turned on or off together, which is a minor inconvenience but not necessarily a dealbreaker.

Thanks to the intelligent smartphone app, you can schedule its running time to save big on energy costs. The idea behind automated and smart power strips is not only to offer control to the users, but also to save up on annual energy costs. Details on the smartphone/tablet app will be available in the user manual when you purchase the product. The manufacturer mentions that the app is compatible with Android 4.1 and higher, so you should be good as long as you have a phone or tablet that was launched in the last few years or so.

This is one of the inexpensive options at only $19.99. You can check it out on Amazon.

Weton

This particular smart power strip (unlike others on this list) has been certified to work with Amazon’s Echo devices and Alexa voice assistant. This means you can control the functionality of this power strip with a simple command to Alexa. Weton makes a myriad of products, including Wi-Fi enabled plugs, and this is yet another quality offering from the company.

In terms of functionality, however, it’s pretty much the same as the power strips we’ve mentioned above. While power outlets can be controlled individually, the four USB ports can be turned on or off together. This power strip doesn’t support 5 GHz Wi-Fi networks, so you will need to have a 2.4 GHz compatible Wi-Fi setup at home. This particular unit is slightly expensive at $29.59, but still cheaper than most smart power strips.

ANEKEN Smart Power Strip

Yet another product certified by Amazon to work with Alexa, the ANEKEN smart power strip comes with four individually controllable power outlets. There are no USB ports here, however, which is a bit of a letdown. But given that a product like this is used for automation and extended control, we don’t see this as much of a negative to be honest. You can schedule the functioning of this power strip, so it’s pretty similar to other offerings that we’ve talked about on this list. Amazon is currently offering this smart power strip for $29.99. This product is also compatible with Google Assistant.

Electrical Noise Filter Products

Switching power supplies generate high-frequency electronic noise causing interference within the instrumentation and to nearby equipment through radiated emissions. To make a long story short, even with everything unplugged except the power cord, the noise was still there. Noise in the grounding system increases, as more parts of audio equipment are reversed on. To combat interference, you must first identify which form of sound is giving you trouble. The X2 type would remove and work noise interference, but would not meet line-to-ground safety references. You will be able to hold the outside noise given off by other electrical roots, by installing one with your electrical network.

The Noise Circuit And The Signal Circuit

A really short burst of loud noise which lasts for less than one second is impact or impulse noise. Even if you just have one form of sound to eliminate, but it arrives from a wide angle of directions, then you will not be able to completely eliminate it. If the analyzer noise level is sufficiently low, a low noise amplifier may not be essential. It is significantly easier to destroy the sound, now with a lower rate of ringing and a best connection to land. Having only a very Gradual change in level with rate, power line noise is relatively frequency independent. A white noise machine can help, but unless you can expend a fancy sound system, the noise often sounds unnatural, and in the end it is still electronic noise.

The Finished High Voltage Radio Frequency Interference Filter

Transmitter output power and the nearness of the aerial to the cable or the vulnerable equipment distribution system can all affect the intensity of an interference problem. To understand the problem, corrective measures must usually be applied to the device causing the interference. The interference is not conducted through the power cable, but was emitted from the presence and sides of the unit. You can move the antenna next to the radio, experiment with it to find the top point. The problem is often assumed to be attributed to the manufacture of unwanted signals by a sender, when equipment is moved by radio interference. The CCRadio is specially tuned to listen to talk radio, which makes it better for a lot of Catholic radio.

Printing Of The Insert

Radio interference can cause serious noise problems to the audio system which is not properly secure. You’ve got a long wire run going to the speaker that works great as an aerial. Most people have tried running shielded cable only to find that the problem is as severe or worse than with regular CAT3 cable. Each channel on an amplifier will power one speaker using a negative and positive wire. When creating a circuit, one usually wants a true output of what the circuit has complete. Noise can be continuous, variable, impulsive or intermittent depending on how it changes over time.

A Good Quality Aerial Flylead Cable

Ground loops occur when there is an alternate path to earth for noise signals on the electric wires. The block is not neutral or attached to live, only the earth, so your electric socket can be either switched on or off as it makes no difference. Any electrical noise current flowing from the power lines to earth will also find an alternate path to land and flow into the home via the ground wires. Safety regulations demand that the ground path should be able to hold the same current as the power circuit itself, though normally current on earth is negligible. There was no change at all, after and before mounting the controller, on second test with grounded socket. The exact null point is quite critical, though, so there is no avoiding the fine-tuning process.

The Power Supply Output Current

Electronic filters are used to prevent certain electronic frequencies from passing from one location of an electronic circuit to another part of that circuit. An easy to use, pocket sized, accurate, power-frequencies meter which is perfect for carrying around is the Pf5. Usually above 500 MHz, traces get electrically higher and longer above the airplane, at higher frequencies. RFI filters are designed to filter out unwanted noise created by almost every electronic instrumentation.

Smart windows could combine solar panels and TVs too

Could this monitor and window be combined with a solar panel?patat/Shutterstock.com

Kerry Rippy, Colorado State University

Imagine standing in front of a wall of windows, surveying the view. You hear someone enter the room behind you. You turn. “Welcome,” you say. “Here is the video I wanted to show you.” At the press of a button, the view vanishes and the windows transform into a high-definition TV screen.

No, your friend isn’t James Bond, and you aren’t the next Q. Still, even as you watch the video, your window-TV is doing as much to help avert global catastrophe as any Bond-film gadget ever did. You see, it’s also a solar panel, constantly harvesting renewable energy from the sun. The problem of climate change is not a typical movie supervillain, but it’s a trickier problem than Goldfinger posed. Worse, humanity’s efforts to solve it with existing technologies aren’t working fast enough.

The heroes swooping in to the rescue could be a new technology called organic semiconductors, a new way to make materials that conduct electricity only under certain conditions. Most semiconductors in modern electronics are made of crystalline, rock-forming elements like silicon. Organic semiconductors, by contrast, are made primarily of carbon-based molecules. They take less energy to make than conventional semiconductors. A conventional photovoltaic cell, for instance, can take years to produce as much energy as was required to build it; an organic photovoltaic cell takes just months.

However, perhaps the most exciting thing about organic semiconductors is that it’s possible to design molecules that are flexible, lightweight, colored or completely transparent. In the lab I work in, we design and test new small molecules that have specific, targeted properties – like making a simple transparent pane into a window, screen and solar panel.

Each of these research samples is a small organic solar panel made from different molecules, with varying degrees of transparency to visible light.Kerry Rippy

Capturing solar energy

Making a solar panel that’s also a window involves a bit of creativity: It has to be something that both absorbs light, to make electricity, and lets light through, to let people see in and out.

Our material takes advantage of the fact that a window only needs to transmit human-visible light; in my lab, we can make molecules that absorb only UV and infrared light, wavelengths of light our eyes don’t see. These are parts of the spectrum we don’t really want to pass through a window anyway. UV light gives you a sunburn. And infrared light is hot: Filtering it out can save on the energy use and expense of air conditioning. It’s true that our method doesn’t capture absolutely all the energy in sunlight, but that’s okay. The amount of solar energy that reaches Earth every hour is more than all humanity uses in a year.

Transparent organic solar panels don’t absorb the part of the solar spectrum that includes visible light; they only absorb UV and infrared light.Kerry Rippy, CC BY-ND

Flipping the process around

Organic semiconductors are also useful for making monitors and displays. If you think about it, a screen is basically a solar panel run backwards. It generates light from an electric current. Both solar panels and display screens involve conversions between light and electricity. Just like we can design transparent organic semiconductors, we can design molecules that emit specific colors of light when an electric current is applied.

Put together one molecule that emits red, one molecule that emits blue, and one molecule that emits green, and you have an organic light-emitting diode. Those are the key to what are known in the TV and monitor marketplace as OLED screens.

Simplified diagrams of organic photovoltaic cells and organic light emitting diodes show how they operate very similarly, just in reverse.Kerry Rippy, CC BY-ND

To make a smart window, we would need to deposit two layers of organic semiconductors – one layer to generate electricity from sunlight and another to emit light – onto a pan of a transparent conducting material, like indium tin oxide. These technologies exist, but are not yet available for sale.

Putting the pieces together

Half of this device is already commercially available: Energy-efficient high-resolution OLEDs are a big hit in the marketplace for home and office TVs.

Companies selling organic solar panels, and even organic solar panel windows, are just getting going. Ongoing research efforts, like mine, are aimed at optimizing the properties of these materials, increasing their efficiency, and making them more durable.

As we make the components better, we’ll also find ways to integrate organic-semiconductor solar cells and organic-semiconductor displays together. It may be a few years out yet, but there is certainly incentive to do so, with so many possible applications. An electric car with smart windows could collect enough solar energy to drive the car 10 to 15 miles a day, enough for a typical commute. Driving directions could appear on the windshield, too. Anywhere there’s a window – whether in a skyscraper or a mobile home – there could be a smart window, saving space, saving energy and letting the occupants feel like James Bond.

Kerry Rippy, Ph.D. Candidate in Chemistry, Colorado State University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Why can’t we fix our own electronic devices?

Traditionally, when a car breaks down, the solution has been to fix it. Repair manuals, knowledgeable mechanics and auto parts stores make car repairs common, quick and relatively inexpensive. Even with modern computer-equipped vehicles, regular people have plenty they can do: change oil, change tires and many more advanced upgrades.

But when a computer or smartphone breaks, it’s hard to get it fixed, and much more common to throw the broken device away. Even small electronic devices can add up to massive amounts of electronic waste – between 20 million and 50 million metric tons of electronic devices every year, worldwide. Some of this waste is recycled, but most – including components involving lead and mercury – goes into landfills.

Bigger equipment can be just as difficult to repair. Today’s farmers often can’t fix the computers running their tractors, because manufacturers claim that farmers don’t actually own them. Companies argue that specialized software running tractors and other machines is protected by copyright and patent laws, and allowing farmers access to it would harm the companies’ intellectual property rights.

Users’ right to repair – or to pay others to fix – objects they own is in jeopardy. However, in our surveys and examinations of product life cycles, my colleagues and I are finding that supporting people who want to repair and reuse their broken devices can yield benefits – including profits – for electronics manufacturers.

A corporate quandary

At least eight states – Nebraska, Kansas, Wyoming, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York and Tennessee – are considering laws that would require companies to let customers fix their broken electronics. The proposals typically make manufacturers sell parts, publish repair manuals and make available diagnostic tools, such as scanning devices that identify sources of malfunctions. In an encouraging move, the U.S. Copyright Office suggested in June that similar rules should apply nationwide. And the U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that companies’ patent rights don’t prevent people from reselling their electronics privately.

Seen one way, these regulations put manufacturing companies in a tough spot. Manufacturers can earn a lot of money from selling authorized parts and service. Yet to remain competitive, they must constantly innovate and develop new products. To keep costs down, they can’t keep making and stocking parts for old and outdated devices forever. This leads to what’s called “planned obsolescence,” the principle that a company designs its items to have relatively short useful lives, which will end roughly around the time a new version of the product comes out.

However, our research suggests that companies can take a different approach – designing and building products that can be refurbished and repaired for reuse – while building customer loyalty and brand awareness. By analyzing surveys of hobbyists and the repair industry, we’ve also found that there are barriers, such as a lack of repair manuals and spare parts, that impede the growth of the repair industry that can be improved upon.

Consumers want to fix their devices

Even as machines and devices have become less mechanical and more electronic, we have found that customers still expect to be able to repair and continue using electronic products they purchase. When manufacturers support that expectation, by offering repair manuals, spare parts and other guidance on how to fix their products, they build customer loyalty.

Specifically, we found that customers are more likely to buy additional products from that manufacturer, and are more likely to recommend that manufacturer’s product to friends. The math here is simple: More customers using a company’s products, whether brand-new or still kicking after many years, equals more money for the business.

Our research also shows that the failure of most electronic devices is due to simple accidents such as dropping a device or spilling water on it. The most common problem is a broken screen. There are other issues, too – such as batteries that no longer hold their charges or circuit boards that just stop working.

Even nontechnical users often want to pay someone to clean their devices and replace parts such as damaged screens and old batteries. If manufacturers provided access to replacement parts, more damaged items could be repaired, extending their usefulness. Apple could seize an opportunity here: It has just begun assembling older iPhone models in India, which means it is still making parts that others could use to fix the devices they already have.

Helping consumers, companies and the environment

Technology manufacturers should take steps to promote customers’ right to repair their broken devices, which helps cut down on electronic waste and boost brand loyalty. But if they won’t, laws and regulations can help.

In France, for example, a 2015 law requires manufacturers to tell customers – before they purchase an item – for how long repair parts will be available. That lets consumers decide how much they want to factor in the possibility for repairs when deciding whether to buy something new.

Supporting repair rights can also bring economic benefits to more than just the technology sector. There were 4,623 consumer electronic repair and maintenance companies in 1998 in the U.S. By 2015, that number had dropped to 2,072. Independent vendors are creating online marketplaces where people can buy and sell used and repaired gadgets. Other companies like iFixit and Repair Cafe are creating networks of people who share information on repairing electronics, and even getting groups of people together in person to work on their devices.

Meanwhile 3-D printing continues to make it easier and cheaper for people to produce replacement parts for older devices.

Companies shouldn’t fear people taking too much into their own hands, though: While it’s been possible for a few years to 3-D print and hand-assemble entire computers, they’re not very good. People are much more likely to buy corporate-made devices; they just want to be able to repair them when they break down.

Sara Behdad, Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.